The night my innocence was stolen, the night I made the mistake of saying no—a mistake I’d never make again.

The dream of a ‘happily ever after' was now a locked away myth. I promised myself that I’d never return to the place of my worst nightmare, that I’d never let anyone get close, but then again, I never thought I’d meet someone like him.

The intense, confident and beautiful Ky Crawford.

I had no plans to become someone’s Prince Charming.

I couldn’t be. I refused to be. My plan was simple—do whatever it takes to correct my biggest mistake, my one regret that now controlled my life.

I was on track. I had plans, but then everything changed when I saw her—the girl in the red jacket, the girl who I was told couldn’t say no.

The reserved yet stunning Eden Rivers.

A girl who can’t say no. A guy who craves redemption. A chance encounter?

The sound of my weak, pleading voice didn’t offer my shivering body one piece of desperately craved strength. The skin on my arm seared under his dominant grip and I could barely keep up with his broad stride through the empty college grounds. At one point I swear my feet weren’t even touching the graveled ground below.

“Man, where you going?”

A savior’s voice rang out through the freezing air and we stopped moving. Safety was close. A glimmer of hope hit me as my eyes darted around the darkness trying to make out who was coming to my rescue.

“Help,” I choked out, my voice lost in the severe coldness around me.

“Shut the fuck up,” Jeremy Davis snarled at me and his threatening grip tightened on my arm. “Just heading to the dorm to grab some more booze, will be back at the party soon.” He said loudly, his voice calm and way too convincing.

We remained still, waiting for my savior’s next move. I prayed to every god there was that he would offer to help, that he would move closer and be able to make me out but he remained in the shadows, simply a distant voice.

The dwindling temperature of December in New York was the least of my worries as the wind swirled around my naked shoulders, fiercely biting my flesh. Every word I spluttered out between clenched teeth was laced with pure fear. Where was the stubborn, strong and highly resilient Eden Rivers who had stepped through the doors of her first keg party only hours ago?

I stumbled on the heel of my boot as possessive hands thrust sharply in my back as we began to move. I went up the stairs toward the dorm rooms with such intensity that my long, dark hair whipped sharply around my face. The moment I was pushed through the door, my eyes desperate to adjust to the darkness of the room, bounced around the four walls around me.

The glow from the street light briefly illuminated the space but I wished there was no light at all. My shallow breathing and the grunts of the man who stalked toward me like a possessed animal broke the silence. A petrified shiver cascaded down my back as reality slammed me squarely in the chest and I was soon backed up against the far wall with no escape. His face was brutal, stone cold and evil. My eyes slammed shut as his hands manhandled me, running over my breasts, down my sides, and soon fumbling in the confines of my panties. I pushed against his broad chest with every ounce of strength I could muster, but it was useless and he barely moved.

“No! No! No!” I screamed over and over again, so loudly that my voice went hoarse and barely audible. Survival instincts kicked in and my nails scratched at his face and my body thrashed in pure fight.

A vicious blow to my left cheek stole the air from my lungs and my mouth was invaded by the metallic taste of blood. My vision instantly went hazy and I swayed on my feet. “That’s going to be the biggest fucking mistake of your life Eden! Big fucking mistake,” Jeremy hissed, his spittle hitting my face and bringing me back to reality.

In the minutes that followed, as the perfect world I knew was destroyed, I ceased to exist as Eden Rivers. With the ruthless tear of my panties clean from my body and the pain of a thousand knives digging into the most sacred part of my body, the one place no one had been before, everything disappeared around me and I vanished into darkness as blow after blow tore within me.

From that moment, I would become a yes girl—as saying no seemed to be the worst decision I ever made.

~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~

Rachel Brookes

Rachel Brookes is from a coastal town on the east coast of Australia where beaches, kangaroos and surfers roam free. She writes angsty love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance and a spoonful of sexiness… oh and the main ingredient hot guys. Rachel sometimes forgets to eat, sometimes forgets to sleep and sometimes can’t remember the last time she cleaned her apartment but that’s because she is in a long term relationship with her laptop and is constantly writing. When she does step away from her laptop she can be found taking too many photos, making scrumptious cocktails, laughing at Adam Sandler movies and spending her time with her amazing family and friends. With her first novel, Just Breathe, due to be released in July 2013, her dream of releasing a book will become reality. With another three books already taking up her mind, she cannot wait to start this crazy ride.